Private caller ID messaging

ABSTRACT

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for caller identification messaging are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a calling party uses a Caller ID Messaging Device that supplants the incoming calling line identification (ICLID) signal with a Caller ID Messaging Signal and transmits the Caller ID Messaging Signal to a destination communications address. An alternate embodiment provides that the calling party may use a conventional telephone to access a communications network, activate Caller ID Messaging Services, compose or retrieve a stored Caller ID Message of the Caller ID Messaging Signal, and transmit the Caller ID Messaging Signal to the destination communications address. The Caller ID Message and Caller ID Messaging Signal may include text, video, voice, and/or digital data.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application relates to applicants' co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/418,878, entitled “Caller ID Messaging,” filedsimultaneously herewith and of which the “Brief Summary of theInvention” and “Detailed Description of the Invention” sections areincorporated herein by this reference.

This application relates to applicants' co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/418,774, entitled “Caller ID Messaging Device,”filed simultaneously herewith and of which the “Brief Summary of theInvention” and “Detailed Description of the Invention” sections areincorporated herein by this reference.

This application relates to applicants' co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/418,773, entitled “Caller ID MessagingTelecommunications Services,” filed simultaneously herewith and of whichthe “Brief Summary of the Invention” and “Detailed Description of theInvention” sections are incorporated herein by this reference.

This application relates to applicants' co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/418,768, entitled “Dynamic Caller ID Messaging,”filed simultaneously herewith and of which the “Brief Summary of theInvention” and “Detailed Description of the Invention” sections areincorporated herein by this reference.

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and its figurescontain material subject to copyright protection. The copyright ownerhas no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patentdocument or the patent disclosure, but otherwise reserves all copyrightswhatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to the field of communications. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a system and method for calleridentification messaging.

2. Description of the Related Art

Telecommunications has experienced explosive growth, and more growth isplanned as telecommunication access and numerous communications devicesimprove. This explosive growth is revolutionizing special servicesoffered to subscribing customers. Of the special service offerings, themost relevant to this invention is the caller identification or CallerID services. A customer or a user of a telephone that is served by theCaller ID service is provided with a calling party's directoryinformation. Presently available Caller ID systems provide the callingparty's telephone number and a billing name associated with the callingparty's telephone number (if available) when an incoming caller lineidentification (ICLID) signal can be detected, decoded, and transmittedto the called telephone or other display device associated with thecalled telephone (e.g., a Caller ID device). The Caller ID services alsoallow a receiving party to receive directory information for otherincoming calls while the receiving party's phone is used (e.g., during aconversation with another party); this service is sometimes referred toas Caller ID Call Waiting service.

A customer may use the displayed Caller ID information to make adecision whether to answer and/or to prepare for the call. Thereafter,the customer has a record of the Caller ID information and may use thatinformation to return a call or to track incoming calls. A problemarises when the customer cannot recognize the Caller ID information. Forexample, if a calling party uses a pay phone to place the incoming call,then the Caller ID information displays the number associated with thepay phone. If the customer does not recognize the pay phone number, thecustomer, then, cannot associate the number with the calling party.Other problems exist with limited information transmitted with the ICLIDsignal and with limited capabilities of Caller ID devices. In recentyears, telephony providers and manufacturers have tried to providealternate caller identification systems and methods.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,444, entitled “Method and Apparatus forProviding Personal Calling Identification at Remote Locations,”discloses a method for a caller to provide an alternate telephone numberto be used instead of the telephone number of the calling station as theICLID number. Further, the '444 patent discloses an apparatus thatdisplays both the alternate telephone number and the telephone number ofthe calling station and that also displays a textual message along withboth telephone numbers. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,116 B1,entitled “System and Method for Generating CID/CIDW Information with aUser Inputted Message,” that discloses a method and system for sendingthe CID/CIDW information along with an alphanumeric message to a secondphone. Both the '444 and '116 patents, however, have several drawbacksthat include necessitating specialized peripheral hardware andequipment, limiting the textual message and alphanumeric message forvisual presentation by the specialized peripheral hardware andequipment, and limiting transmission of the textual message and thealphanumeric message to the called phone.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention addresses the above and other needs by providing systemsand methods for enabling and/or generating Caller ID messaging.Typically, a calling party uses a Caller ID Messaging Device thatsupplants the incoming calling line identification (ICLID) signal with aCaller ID Messaging Signal and transmits the Caller ID Messaging Signalto a, destination communications address. The Caller ID Messaging Signalincludes a personalized message and may also include an identifier ofthe calling party (e.g., name, address of calling party's communicationsdevice, such as an originating telephone number, etc.), an identifier ofthe destination communications address (e.g., name of called party,address of the called party's communications device, such as thedestination telephone number, etc.), and/or an identifier of the callingparty's communications device (e.g., POTS phone, cellular phone,personal digital assistant, etc.). Alternatively, the calling party mayuse a conventional telephone to access a communications network,activate Caller ID messaging services, compose or retrieve a storedCaller ID Message, and transmit the Caller ID Messaging Signal to thedestination communications address. The Caller ID Message may includetext, video, voice, and/or digital data. After the Caller ID MessagingSignal is transmitted to the destination communications address, areceiving party (e.g., called party) may act on the calleridentification messaging signal. For example, the receiving party mayreview the Caller ID Message signal, respond with a response Caller IDMessage, forward the Caller ID Messaging Signal, store the Caller IDMessaging Signal, ignore the Caller ID Messaging Signal, and otherhandling options. Additionally, a telecommunications customer maysubscribe to a Caller ID Messaging Blocking service to decline Caller IDMessaging (similar to Privacy Director).

In an embodiment, a Caller ID messaging communications system includes acommunications network communicating a caller identification messagefrom a calling party's communications device to a receiving party'scommunications device and establishing a voice connection with thecalling party's communications device and the receiving party'scommunications device. The calling party's communications devicecommunicates with a first switch, such as an advanced intelligentnetwork (AIN) service switching point (SSP). According to one aspect,the calling party's communications device includes a calleridentification messaging device that generates a caller identificationmessaging signal that is transmitted to the first switch. According toanother aspect, the calling party's communications device accesses andinteracts with the communications network to generate the calleridentification messaging signal. Regardless of how the calleridentification messaging signal is generated, the communications networkprocesses the caller identification messaging signal and an incomingline identification (ICLID) signal of the calling party's communicationsdevice such that the communications network is operable to initiatedelivery of only the caller identification message (of the calleridentification messaging signal) to a second switch in communicationswith the receiving party's communications device. The communicationsnetwork further operates to establish a voice connection with thecalling party's communications device and the receiving party'scommunications device and to transmit the caller identificationmessaging signal and/or caller identification message. Thus, the calleridentification message can supplant the ICLID signal transmitted to thesecond switch and ultimately displayed by the receiving party'scommunications device while simultaneously (or near real-time)connecting the calling party and the receiving party so that they canengage in a conversation. In a further embodiment, the receiving party'scommunications device has a response caller identification messagingdevice that transmits a response caller identification messaging signalto the calling party's communications device such that the calling partyand receiving party are simultaneously engaged in a voice connection andinteractive caller identification messaging session (e.g., sending,receiving, and/or responding to caller identification messages duringthe conversation). The communications network may include a publicswitched telephone network (PSTN), a mobile switching telephonecommunications network (MSTO), a world wide electronic datacommunications network (e.g., Intranet, Internet, and Extranet),satellite communications network, and/or other networks.

In another embodiment, a method for caller identification messagingincludes receiving a caller identification messaging signal from anintelligent communications switch in a communications network,associating an incoming line identification (ICLID) signal with thecaller identification messaging signal, and determining whether totransmit the caller identification messaging signal to a destinationcommunications address. A database of stored communications addresses isaccessed and compared with the destination communications address todetermine whether the destination communications address accepts thecaller identification messaging signal and/or to determine presentationcapabilities associated with the destination communications addressand/or a destination communications device (e.g., the receiving party'scommunications device). If transmission of the caller identificationmessage (or a portion of the caller identification messaging signal) isinitiated, then the communications network (or other appropriatesystems) formats the caller identification message for presentation tothe destination communications address, transmits the calleridentification message to the destination communications address, andestablishes a voice connection with a calling party's communicationsdevice and a receiving party's communications device. Typically, thecalling party's communications device is in a communications link viathe switch and communications network with the receiving partycommunications device. Other information of the caller identificationmessaging signal (e.g., identifier of the calling party and identifierof the originating communications address) may also be transmitted tothe destination communications address. However, if transmission of thecaller identification message is not initiated, then the communicationsnetwork (or other appropriate systems) retrieves a Caller ID messagingdelivery failure notification, transmits the message delivery failurenotification to the calling party's communications device, andestablishes an alternate communications, such as a voice connection withthe calling party's communications device and the receiving party'scommunications device.

In another embodiment, a method for caller identification messagingincludes receiving a caller identification messaging signal from anintelligent communications switch in a communications network,associating an incoming line identification (ICLID) signal with thecaller identification messaging signal, associating a calleridentification messaging profile with the ICLID signal, generating acaller identification messaging signal using the caller identificationmessaging profile and/or a caller identification messaging instructionsupplied by a calling party (e.g., the communications network promptsfor the destinations communications address and the calling party entersa telephone number of the receiving party's communications device),transmitting the caller identification message and/or the calleridentification messaging signal to the destinations communicationsaddress of the receiving party's communications device, and establishinga voice connection between the calling party communications device andthe receiving party communications device.

Further details on these embodiments and other possible embodiments ofthis invention are set forth below. As is appreciated by those ofordinary skill in the art, this invention has wide utility in a numberof areas as illustrated by the discussion below. These embodiments maybe accomplished singularly, or in combination, in one or more of theimplementations of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other embodiments, objects, uses, advantages, and novelfeatures of this invention are more clearly understood by reference tothe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingfigures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic of a Caller ID messaging communications systemillustrating a communications network connecting a calling party'scommunications device with a Caller ID Messaging Device and a receivingparty's communications device according to an embodiment of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a Caller ID Messaging Device according toan embodiment of this invention;

FIGS. 3-4 are perspective front views of the Caller ID Messaging Deviceof FIG. 2 including screen displays for inputting a destinationcommunications address and a Caller ID Message according to embodimentsof this invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective front view of a conventional Caller ID Device(labeled “PRIOR ART”) illustrating the screen display presenting anincoming line identification (ICLID) signal;

FIG. 6 is a perspective front view of the Caller ID Device of FIG. 5illustrating the screen display supplanting a Caller ID Message of theCaller ID Messaging Signal for the ICLID signal;

FIG. 7 is a more detailed schematic of a Caller ID messagingcommunications system further illustrating the communicationsconnections of the calling party's communications device and Caller IDMessaging Device, the communications network(s), and the receivingparty's communications device according to an embodiment of thisinvention;

FIG. 8 is a another exemplary schematic of a Caller ID messagingcommunication system illustrating alternate calling party communicationsdevices according to an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 9 is another exemplary schematic of a Caller ID messagingcommunications system illustrating a personal computer having a CallerID Messaging Program Interface coupled with the modem of FIG. 8according to an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic of another Caller ID messaging communicationssystem illustrating a communications network connecting a callingparty's communications device with a Caller ID Messaging Device and areceiving party's communications device with a Caller ID MessagingDevice according to an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective front view of the receiving party's Caller IDMessaging Device of FIG. 10 including a screen display for presentingthe caller identification messaging signal according to an embodiment ofthis invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective front view of the receiving party's Caller IDMessaging Device of FIG. 10 including a screen display for the selectionof inputting a response caller identification message according to anembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 13 is a perspective front view of the receiving party's Caller IDMessaging Device of FIG. 12 including a screen display for inputting theresponse caller identification message according to an embodiment ofthis invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective front view of the receiving party's Caller IDMessaging Device of FIG. 10 including a screen display for inputting aforwarded communications address to forward the caller identificationmessaging signal according to an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 15 is a detailed schematic of a Caller ID messaging communicationssystem illustrating the communications connections of a calling party'stelephone and Caller ID Messaging Device, a receiving party'scommunications device and Caller ID Messaging Device, a forwardedparty's communications device(s), and the communications network(s)according to an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 16 is a schematic of another Caller ID messaging communicationssystem illustrating a communications network connecting a callingparty's communications device and a receiving party's communicationsdevice according to an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 17 is a more detailed schematic of the Caller ID messagingcommunications system of FIG. 16 further illustrating the communicationsconnections of the calling party's telephone, the communicationsnetwork(s), and a receiving party's communications device according toan embodiment of this invention; and

FIGS. 18-20 are flowcharts illustrating communications methods forCaller ID messaging according to embodiments of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodimentsare shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments setforth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that thisdisclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey thescope of the invention to those of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover,all statements herein reciting embodiments of the invention, as well asspecific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural andfunctional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that suchequivalents include both currently known equivalents as well asequivalents developed in the future (i.e., any elements developed thatperform the same function, regardless of structure).

Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill inthe art that the diagrams, schematics, flowcharts, and the likerepresent conceptual views or processes illustrating systems and methodsembodying this invention. The functions of the various elements shown inthe figures may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware aswell as hardware capable of executing associated software. Similarly,any switches shown in the figures are conceptual only. Their functionmay be carried out through the operation of program logic, throughdedicated logic, through the interaction of program control anddedicated logic, or even manually, the particular technique beingselectable by the entity implementing this invention. Those of ordinaryskill in the art further understand that the exemplary hardware,software, processes, methods, and/or operating systems described hereinare for illustrative purposes and, thus, are not intended to be limitedto any particular named manufacturer.

The Caller ID messaging systems and methods of this invention operatewith different communications devices and communications networks togenerate, enable, and/or transmit a Caller ID Message. Typically, apublic switched telecommunications network (PSTN) automatesconfiguration and routing of a Caller ID Messaging Signal that includesthe Caller ID Message and may also include an identifier of a callingparty, an identifier of a destinations communications address (typicallyassociated with a receiving party's communications device), and anidentifier of an originating communications address (typicallyassociated with a calling party's communications device). The Caller IDMessaging Signal may be generated by a Caller ID Messaging Device and/orby interactions with the PSTN (or, alternatively other communicationsnetworks) and the calling party's communications device. Some advantagesof Caller ID messaging include the ability to use a conventional POTSphone with a connected communications network to generate a Caller IDMessage, the ability of the communications network to transmit a CallerID Message to a conventional Caller ID device (so that specializedhardware and equipment is not necessitated), the ability of thecommunications network to identify the receiving party's communicationsdevice to format the Caller ID Message for presentation by the receivingparty's communications device, the ability to use a Caller ID MessagingDevice to generate, respond to, forward, and/or otherwise manage CallerID Messages (including other information that may be transmitted withthe Caller ID Messaging Signal), the ability to transmit the Caller IDMessage to numerous communications devices associated with a receivingparty, and the ability to identify whether the receiving party blocks ordoes not accept Caller ID Messaging Signals and, if so, notify thecalling party of the Caller ID Message delivery failure.

As used herein, the term “communications device” includes wired andwireless communications devices, such as a mobile phone, a wirelessphone, a WAP phone, a satellite phone, a computer, a modem, a pager, adigital music device, a digital recording device, a personal digitalassistant, an interactive television, a digital signal processor, and aGlobal Positioning System device. Further, as used herein, the term“data” includes electronic information, such as, for example facsimile,electronic mail (e-mail), text, video, audio, and/or voice in a varietyof formats, such as dual tone multi-frequency, digital, analog, and/orothers. Additionally, the data may include: (1) executable programs,such as a software application, (2) an address, location, and/or otheridentifier of the storage location for the data, (3) integrated orotherwise combined files, such as a grouping of destinationcommunications addresses associated with the receiving party, and/or (4)profiles associated with the Caller ID Messaging Signal, includingconfiguration, authenticity, security, and others. In variousembodiments, the data may be stored by the communications network, aperipheral storage device connected to the communications network, theCaller ID Messaging Device, and/or other connected networks.

Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 illustrates a Caller ID messagingcommunications system 100 including a calling party's communicationsdevice 110 having (or coupled with) a Caller ID Messaging Device 200, atleast one communications network 120, and a receiving party'scommunications device 130. A calling party composes, retrieves, and/orotherwise generates a Caller ID Message using his/her communicationsdevice 110 and/or the Caller ID Messaging Device 200 which transmits aCaller ID Messaging Signal with the Caller ID Message, an identifier ofa calling party (e.g., name, workstation, name of employer, phonenumber, etc.), an identifier of a destinations communications address(e.g., receiving party's telephone number, receiving party's IP address,etc.), and/or an identifier of the calling party's communications device(e.g., cellular phone, personal digital assistant, etc.) to thecommunications network 120. Typically, the communications network 120detects and decodes the incoming Caller ID Messaging Signal, comparesthe incoming Caller ID Messaging Signal with Caller ID messaging datastored in one or more databases of the communications network todetermine one or more destination communications addresses of thereceiving party, whether the destination communications address(es)accepts Caller ID Messaging Signals, and/or presentation capabilities ofthe receiving party's communications device 130 associated with eachdestination communications address.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the Caller ID Messaging Device 200according to an embodiment of this invention. The Caller ID MessagingDevice 200 includes a Caller ID Messaging Program 214 that operateswithin a system memory device 212. The Caller ID Messaging Program 214,however, could also reside in flash memory or a peripheral storagedevice 216. The Caller ID Messaging Device 200 also has one or morecentral processors 220 executing an operating system. The operatingsystem, as is well known, has a set of instructions that control theinternal functions of the Caller ID Messaging Device 200. A system bus222 communicates signals, such as data signals, control signals, andaddress signals, between the central processor(s) 220 and a systemcontroller 210. The system controller 210 provides a bridging functionbetween the memory subsystem 212, the one or more central processors220, a graphics subsystem 230, a keyboard subsystem 232, an audiosubsystem 234, a PCI (Peripheral Controller Interface) bus 224, and aCommunications (“Comm”) Device Interface 250. The PCI bus 224 iscontrolled by a Peripheral Bus Controller 240. The Peripheral BusController 240 is an integrated circuit that serves as an input/outputhub for various peripheral ports and/or transceivers. These peripheralports allow the Caller ID Messaging Device 200 to communicate with avariety of communications devices through networking ports (such as SCSIor Ethernet) that include Wireless Communications (“Comm”) DeviceTransceiver 242 (such as Wireless 802.11 and Infrared) and WiredCommunications (“Comm”) Device Port/Connection 244 (such as modem V90+and compact flash slots). These peripheral ports could also includeother networking ports, such as, a serial port (not shown) and/or aparallel port (not shown). The Comm Device Interface 250 allows theCaller ID Messaging Device 200 to monitor, detect, receive, and decodeincoming communications signals to the communications device(s)connected to the Wireless Comm Device Transceiver 242 and/or the WiredComm Device Port/Connection 246. Further, the Comm Device Interface 250transmits the outgoing Caller ID Messaging Signal to the Wireless CommDevice Transceiver 242 and/or the Wired Comm Device Port/Connection 246.Still further, the Caller ID Messaging Device 200 may include a powersource 260, such as a rechargeable battery to provide power and allowthe Caller ID Messaging Device 200 to be portable. In alternateembodiments, the Caller ID Messaging Device 200 could include its owntelephone line (or other communications connection) to thecommunications network 120 (not shown). Another alternative may includethe Caller ID Messaging Device 200 incorporated into a speciallydesigned communications device (not shown).

The system memory device (shown as memory subsystem 212 or peripheralstorage device 216) may also contain one or more application programs.For example, an application program may cooperate with the operatingsystem and with a video display unit (via graphics subsystem 230) toprovide a GUI for the Caller ID Messaging Program 214. The GUI typicallyincludes a combination of signals communicating with the graphicssubsystem 230 and/or the keyboard subsystem 232. The GUI provides aconvenient visual and/or audible interface with the user of the CallerID Messaging Device 200. As is apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe art, the user (e.g., calling party) interacts with the Caller IDMessaging Program over a variety of mediums, such as, for example, astylus, keyboard, and punch buttons of the keyboard subsystem 232, adisplay screen of the graphics subsystem 230, and/or a voice-activatedmenu prompt of the audio subsystem 234. Additionally, the peripheral buscontroller 240 provides an interface with a biometrics sensor 246, suchas, for example, a fingerprint ID device. The biometrics sensor 246 mayprovide security features that prevent unauthorized users fromexploiting the Caller ID Messaging Device 200. The biometrics sensor 246could also comprise retina recognition device and software, DNA/RNArecognition device and software, facial recognition device and software,speech recognition device and software, and/or scent recognition deviceand software.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-4 in conjunction with FIG. 2, the graphicssubsystem 230 includes a display screen 300 having displays for a time302, a date 304, a numeric identifier 306 of an incoming Caller IDMessage (transmitting ICLID signal), a numeric identifier 308 of anoutgoing (or an incoming) Caller ID Messaging Signal, and a graphicaluser interface 310 for selecting and/or inputting a destinationscommunications address of the Caller ID Messaging Signal. The Caller IDMessaging Device 200 also includes a lighted display panel 320 thatflashes to produce a visual alert of incoming and/or outgoing Caller IDMessaging Signals and/or incoming ICLID (e.g., Caller ID) signals. Thelighted display panel 320 may be part of graphics subsystem 230 or maybe an isolated component. The keyboard subsystem 232 includes punchbuttons 330, 335, 340, 342, 344, 346, and 348, keyboard 350, and stylus355. The stylus 355 is connected by a cord 356 or other appropriateconnection assembly (not shown) to a housing 370 of the Caller IdMessaging device 200 and positioned in a storage holder 357 when not inuse. The stylus 355 may be used to interact with the keyboard 350 and/orwith the display 300 to input Caller ID messaging data (e.g.,destinations communications address, Caller ID Message, etc.).Alternatively, the user could use his/her fingers or other pointeddevice to select each character from the keyboard 350 and/or to sketchsomething onto the display 300 (such as a doodle to transmit with theCaller ID Message signal). With regards to the punch buttons, theyprovide a convenient interface for quickly interacting with the CallerID Messaging Device 200. For example, the user may punch or press (1) aleft arrow key 330 to scroll backwards through Caller ID Messages, goback a step when interacting with the Caller ID Messaging Program 214,and/or for other interactions with the Caller ID Messaging Program 214,(2) a right arrow key 335 to scroll forwards through Caller ID Messagesand for other interactions with the Caller ID Messaging Program 214, (3)a “Compose/Respond” button 340 to initiate composing or responding to aCaller ID Messaging Signal, (4) a “Send” button 342 to send or otherwisetransmit the Caller ID Messaging Signal, (5) a “Delete” button 344 toerase Caller ID Messages, (6) a “Save” 346 button to store Caller IDMessages, (7) a “Voice” button 348 to record a voice or other audiomessage (in different embodiments, the audio message may be convertedfrom a speech-to-text message for the outgoing Caller ID MessagingSignal and/or the audio message may be transmitted as the Caller IDMessage) and/or to convert a text Caller ID Message from text-to-speech(such as with visually impaired customers), and (8) an “Enter” button349 to enter and/or confirm selection of information displayed on thedisplay screen 300. Further, the “Voice” button 348 interfaces with aspeaker/recorder 360 of the audio subsystem 234 to audibly presentand/or record data of the Caller ID Messaging Signal and to interactwith the Caller ID Messaging Program 214 to administer and otherwisemanage the Caller ID Messaging Device 200.

Typically, the calling party composes a Caller ID Messaging Signal bypunching or pressing the “Compose/Respond” button 340 that brings up aninteractive destinations communications addressing GUI 310. The user mayselect to (1) input a new address (e.g., telephone number), (2) selectan address from recent calls (including outgoing and incoming), and (3)select an address from an address book (created by Caller ID MessagingProgram 214). After the destination communications address(es) isselected, the address is displayed at a “Number to Call” portion 410 ofthe display screen 300. Alternatively, the address may be displayed as“Name of Receiving Party to Contact,” “Communications Address toContact,” and so on, such that the destinations communications addressmay be associated with the receiving party and/or with communicationsdevices using non-North American Numbering Plan (NANP) addressingschemes. After the destinations communications address is input, thecalling party presses the “Enter” button 349 to enter the communicationsaddress and to bring up a Caller ID Message GUI 420 that allows thecalling party to select whether to (1) input a new Caller ID Message or(2) select a Caller ID Message from memory. For example, if the useruses the right arrow 335 (or left arrow 330) to move pointer 440 on“Input A New Message” and then presses the “Enter” button 349, an InputMessage GUI (not shown) is displayed and the user may use the keyboardsubsystem 232, graphics subsystem 230, and/or audio subsystem 234 toenter the Caller ID Message. Should the user wish to erase or modify theCaller ID Message, the user may use the left arrow button 330 to back upand re-enter the Caller ID Message. Thereafter, the user punches orpresses the “Send” button 342, and the Caller ID Messaging Program 214uses the input information to generate the Caller ID Messaging Signaland transmits it to the Comm Device Interface 250. If, however, thecalling party uses the right arrow 335 to move the pointer 440 on“Select A Message From Memory” and then presses “Enter” button 349, aSelect Message GUI (not shown) is displayed with a menu for navigatingstored Caller ID Messages (such as, for example, doodles drawn by auser, Caller ID Messages associated with the calling party or receivingparty, an alphabetical or numeric listing of Caller ID Messages, searchoptions for finding a stored Caller ID Message, frequently sent CallerID Messages, and so on) and the calling party selects the Caller IDMessage and presses the “Send” button 342 to generate the Caller IDMessage and transmit it to the Comm Device Interface 250. The storedCaller ID Messages may be stored by local memory device 216, or by aperipheral storage device (such as Caller ID Messaging DataServer 718shown in FIG. 7). The Comm Device Interface 250 initiates communicationswith the communications network 120 and transmits the Caller IDMessaging Signal. In an alternate embodiment, the Comm Device Interface250 may format the Caller ID Messaging Signal for a connected orintegrated communications device (via the Wireless Comm DeviceTransceiver 242 and/or Wired Comm Device Port/Connection 244), and, theconnected or integrated communications device would then initiatecommunications with the communications network 120 and transmit theCaller ID Messaging Signal (via the connected or integratedcommunications device). Still, in another alternated embodiment, theComm Device Interface may include intelligent componentry that detectsor otherwise identifies the receiving party's communications device 130and formats or otherwise configures the Caller ID Messaging Signal forpresentation by the receiving party's communications device 130 (e.g.,if the Caller ID Message is audio data, but the receiving party'scommunications device 130 does not present and/or accept audio data,then the audio data is converted to text).

The Caller ID Messaging Signal is routed over the communications network120 to a receiving party's communications device 120. As illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 6, the receiving party's communications device 120 is aconventional Caller ID device 500. The Caller ID device 500 includes adisplay screen 500 having a time identifier 502, a date identifier 504,a numeric identifier of an incoming Caller ID signal (e.g., ICLIDsignal) 506, a lighted panel 520 that alerts the receiving party of anew, incoming, and/or stored Caller ID, a “Save” punch button 546, a“Delete” punch button, a left arrow button 530, a right arrow button535, and a housing 550 that protects the internal componentry of theCaller ID device 500. Typically, the Caller ID device 500 receives anincoming ICLID signal and displays an originating NANP number 510 (i.e.,the telephone number of the calling party) and a name 512 associatedwith the originating NANP number (shown as “CITY-COUNTY GOV” in FIG. 5).Conventional Caller ID devices comply with standards known in the artthat limit the display of the ICLID signal to two lines of text, eachline containing approximately fifteen (15) characters. As shown in FIG.6, this invention supplants the ICLID signal (the NANP number 512 andname 512) with a Caller ID Message 610 of the Caller ID Messaging Signalso that a short personalized message (e.g., the Caller ID Message) isdisplayed or otherwise presented by conventional Caller ID device 500.

FIG. 7 is a schematic of a Caller ID messaging communications system 700illustrating communications connections of the communications network(s)(shown as reference numerals 710 and 760) with the calling party'scommunications device 110 and the Caller ID Messaging Device 200 andwith the receiving party's communications device 130. The Caller IDmessaging communications system 700 includes the calling party'scommunications device 110 (shown as a POTS telephone) connected to theCaller ID Messaging Device 200, a communications switch 705 connected toa telecommunications network 710 that includes a service switching point(SSP) 712, a service control point (SCP) 714, an Intranet 716 (for thetelecommunications provider to administer and program thetelecommunications network 71 components), a Caller ID MessagingDataserver 718, a database of one or more Caller ID Messaging Profiles719, an Internet Service Provider (e.g., America On-Line) 750, a datanetwork 760, a gateway 770, and a second communications switch 720connected to the receiving party's communications device 130 (shown asan telephone capable of communications with the telecommunicationsnetwork and with the data network). Each switch 705, 720 allows theconnected communications devices 110, 130 to transceive electroniccommunication signals via the data network 760 (e.g., world wideelectronic data network such as an Internet, an Intranet, and/or anExtranet) and/or the telecommunications network 710 (e.g., a centraloffice (CO), a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO), and/or acombination CO/MTSO). The telecommunications network 710 may use anymeans of coupling one of the switches 705, 720 to the telecommunicationsnetwork 710, but the coupling means is preferably high-capacity,high-bandwidth optical transport services, Gigabit Ethernet services,and/or the like. As those of ordinary skill in the art oftelecommunications understand, the telecommunications network 710 couldalso link each of the switches 705, 720 via other appropriate means,such as, for example a Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) structurewith redundant, multiple rings.

Typically, a customer and/or user of Caller ID Messaging Services (e.g.,someone who subscribes to and/or someone who uses Caller ID MessagingServices) uses the Caller ID Messaging Device 200 and/or the callingparty's communications device 110 to gain access to thetelecommunications network 710. Each Caller ID Messaging Signal sentfrom the calling party's communications device 110 and/or Caller IDMessaging Device 200 is routed through the telecommunications network710 via switch 705. The Caller ID Messaging Signal and othercommunications signals (e.g., ICLID) associated with an address ofcalling party's communications device 110 arrive at SSP 712 thatanalyzes the signals and routes the Caller ID Messaging Signal to theSCP 714 and then to the Caller ID Messaging DataServer 718 for furtherCaller ID Messaging Signal processing and routing information. TheCaller ID Messaging DataServer 718 accesses the database 719 of CallerID Messaging Profiles to determine if the receiving party'scommunications device blocks Caller ID messaging calls, to accesspresentation capabilities of the destination communications addressand/or the receiving party's communications device 130, and/or to obtainother preferences, instructions, files, and/or associated Caller IDMessaging data as further described below. Thereafter, thetelecommunications network 710 may transmit the Caller ID MessagingSignal (or a portion of the Caller ID Messaging Signal, such as just theCaller ID Message) via switch 720 to the receiving party'scommunications device 130. Alternatively, the telecommunications network710 may transmit the Caller ID Messaging Signal via ISP 750 (or otherconnection) to the data network 760. The data network 760 then sends theCaller ID Messaging Signal via the gateway 770 to the receiving party'scommunications device 130 via switch 130. Still, another alternative, isfor the telecommunications network 710 to transmit the Caller IDMessaging Signal directly to the gateway 770 (such as when a Caller IDMessaging Profile associates a static IP address of the receivingparty's communications device 130) to transmit to the receiving party'scommunications device 130 via switch 720. In addition to transmittingthe Caller ID Messaging Signal, the telecommunications network 710 mayalso connect the calling party's communications device 110 with thereceiving party's communications device 130 to establish a voiceconnection (e.g., connect the telephone call). That is, when thereceiving party is alerted (via an audible alert and/or visual alert) ofthe incoming communication(s) (e.g., the Caller ID Message and/ortelephone call), the receiving party can review the Caller ID Message(and/or other information transmitted with the Caller ID MessagingSignal) and decide whether to answer the call to have a conversationwith the calling party.

FIG. 8 is a schematic of a Caller ID messaging communications system 800similar to the Caller ID messaging communications system 700 disclosedin FIG. 7. However, Caller ID messaging communications system 800illustrates alternate calling party communications devices 810 thatinclude a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) 811, an IP phone 812, a modem813, an interactive pager 814, a global positioning system (GPS) 815, anMP3 player 816, a digital signal processor (DSP) 817, and an interactivetelevision 818. Regardless of the calling party's communications device(reference numerals 110 and 811-818) used to communicate the Caller IDMessaging Signal, this information may need to be formatted accordinglyfor the receiving party's communications device (including audio, text(e.g., ASCII), video, other digital formats, and combination thereof).Accordingly, the Comm Device Interface 250 of the Caller ID MessagingDevice 200, the Caller ID Messaging DataServer 718 (via the Caller IDMessaging Profile), and/or the gateway 770 of the data network 760 hasthe intelligence for appropriate formatting of the Caller ID MessagingSignal for transmission to the receiving party's communications device.For example, if the calling party's communications device uses theWireless Application Protocol (WAP) technique, then the Caller IDMessaging Signal is formatted using the Wireless Mark-up Language (WML)and must be configured for Caller ID standards known in the art. TheWireless Mark-up Language (WML) and the WAP technique are known and willnot be further described. This is a description of a solution for aspecific wireless protocol, such as WAP. This solution may be clearlyextended to other wireless protocol, such as i-mode, VoiceXML (VoiceeXtensible Markup Language), Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF), and othersignaling means. Alternatively, the Caller ID Messaging Signal may beformatted and/or otherwise configured for presentation by an applicationand/or componentry of the receiving party's communications device 130.

FIG. 9 is a schematic of a Caller ID messaging communications system 900similar to the Caller ID messaging communications systems 700 and 800disclosed in FIGS. 7-8. However, Caller ID messaging communicationssystem 900 illustrates the modem 813 connected to a networked personalcomputer 910 having a Caller ID Messaging Program Interface 905 as wellas calling party's communications device 110 and Caller ID MessagingDevice 200. The customer and/or the user interacts with the Caller IDMessaging Program Interface 905 and with Intranet 716 to access andlogin to the Caller ID Messaging DataServer 718 to establish a Caller IDMessaging Profile in the database 719. Alternatively, an administratorof the telecommunications network 710 could similarly use anotherpersonal computer (not shown) and/or alternate workstation (not shown)networked with the Intranet 716 to access, add, delete, store, modify,and manage the database 719 of one or more Caller ID Messaging Profiles.The Caller ID Messaging Profiles control access, sharing, notification,routing, security, transactions, troubleshooting, management, and/oradditional processing of Caller ID Messaging Signals exchanged to/fromtelecommunications network customers, users, and non-customers. Morespecifically, the Caller ID Messaging Profiles establish preferences forprocessing the Caller ID Messaging Signal including (1) archiving theCaller ID Messaging Signal to a storage device associated with thetelecommunications service provider (so that a database of Caller IDMessaging Signals including Caller ID Messages and destinationscommunications addresses are stored), (2) encrypting the Caller IDMessaging Signal (or a portion of the Caller ID Messaging Signal) sothat only the receiving party's communications device can decipher theCaller ID Message, (3) copying the Caller ID Messaging Signal (e.g.,copying the Caller ID Messaging Signal from/to the Caller ID MessagingDevice 200), and (4) associating the Caller ID Messaging Signal with avariety of fields, files, and/or other data for Caller ID MessagingServices, such as, for example login information associated with thecustomer, user, and/or administrator, password, telephone number(s) orService Node(s) of the customer (this may include a plurality ofaddresses that are associated with a Service Node or other switchserving the calling party's communications device 110), TCP/IP addressof the customer, email address of the customer, profile of the callingparty's communications device (shown as reference numerals 110, 811-818and 910 in FIGS. 1-9) associated with the incoming Caller ID MessagingSignal (e.g., presentation formats of various communications devices), atime or date identifier (e.g., day of week or calendar date), otherinformation associated with the incoming line identification (ICLID)communications signal, size and content of Caller ID Messaging Signal,reply(s), delivery failure notification(s), display and/or presentationdata associated with a GUI (e.g., color, font, placement oftelecommunications network Management Module on screen, etc.),telecommunications network defaults. Typically, the Caller ID MessagingProfile includes data for (1) the caller identification message, (2) theidentifier of the calling party (e.g., a name of the calling party), (3)the identifier of the originating communications address (e.g., a phonenumber of the calling party's telephone), (4) caller identificationmessaging services associated with at least one of the calling party andthe originating address, (5) the identifier of the destinationscommunications address (e.g., a telephone number of the receivingparty), (6) an identifier of a receiving party's communications device(e.g., a cellular phone), (7) caller identification messaging servicesassociated with at least one of the receiving party and the destinationscommunications address, and (8) caller identification messaging defaultservice parameters (e.g., always format the caller identificationmessage as text). The data of the Caller ID Messaging Services provideinstructions for (1) billing for communication of caller identificationmessaging signals over the communications network, (2) parameters thatenable caller identification messaging including times of day and daysof week, (3) parameter that disable caller identification messagingincluding times of day and days of week, (4) parameters to block calleridentification messaging, (5) identification and authenticationparameters, (6) parameters to bypass the disable parameters, (7) memoryservices for data stored with caller identification messaging signals,and/or (8) configuration and formatting preferences for each callingparty's communications device communicating with the network. Inaddition, the data for the Caller ID Messaging Services may includeinstructions for troubleshooting problems including error messages.Thus, Caller ID Messaging DataServer 718 functions as a computer server,database, and processor that is dedicated to managing Caller IDMessaging Services including communications of Caller ID MessagingSignals over the telecommunications network 710 to other connectednetworks (e.g., data network 760) and/or connected communicationsdevices (e.g., receiving party's communications device 130).

The telecommunications network 710 may include wired, optical, and/orwireless elements and may further include private network elements, suchas private branch exchanges (PBXs), and/or other elements (not shown).The telecommunications network 710 includes Advanced Intelligent Network(AIN) componentry controlling many features of the network. Thetelecommunications network 710 and/or each of the switches 705, 720could also include a packet-based “soft switch” that uses softwarecontrol to provide voice, video, and/or data services by dynamicallychanging its connection data rates and protocols types. If thetelecommunications network 710 and/or one of the switches 705, 720should include a softswitch, the AIN componentry is replaced by anapplication server that interfaces with the softswitch via a packetprotocol, such as Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The means ofcommunicating the Caller ID Messaging Signal between or among thecalling party's communications device 110, the Caller ID MessagingDevice 200, the switches 705, 720, the telecommunications network 710including AIN componentry, the data network 760 including the gateway770, and the receiving party's communications device 130 include avariety of means, including optical transmission of data (e.g., anymedium capable of optically transmitting the data), wirelesstransmission of data (e.g., wireless communications of the data usingany portion of the electromagnetic spectrum), and/or fixed-wiretransmission of data (e.g., any medium capable of transmitting electronsalong a conductor). Fiber optic technologies, spectrum multiplexing(such as Dense Wave Division Multiplexing), Ethernet and GigabitEthernet services, Infrared, the family of IEEE 802 standards, andDigital Subscriber Lines (DSL) are just some examples of thetransmission means. The signaling between the calling party'scommunications device 110, the Caller ID Messaging Device 200, theswitches 705, 720, the telecommunications network 710 including AINcomponentry, the data network 760 including the gateway 770, and thereceiving party's communications device 130, however, are wellunderstood in by those of ordinary skill the art and will not be furtherdescribed. Further, those of ordinary skill in the art will be able toapply the principles of this invention to their own networkconfigurations which may differ substantially from the communicationssystem(s) shown in the figures.

Referring now to FIG. 10, another Caller ID messaging communicationssystem 1000 similar to the Caller ID messaging communications system 100of FIG. 1 is shown; however, Caller ID messaging communications system1000 includes the receiving party communications device also having theCaller ID Messaging Device 200. Thus, the calling party communicationsdevice 110 and the receiving party communications device 130 eachinclude and/or are coupled with specialized hardware and equipment(i.e., Caller ID Messaging Device 200) to engage in Caller ID messaging.For example, FIG. 11 illustrates the Caller ID Messaging Device 200 ofthe receiving party presenting the incoming Caller ID Messaging Signal(via display 300). The Caller ID Messaging Device 200 displays thecommunications address 1102 (e.g., telephone number) associated with thecalling party communications device 110, a name and/or identifier of thecalling party communications address 1104, a name and/or identifier ofthe calling party 1106, and the Caller ID Message 1110. While the CallerID Message 1110 shown in FIG. 11 complies with conventional formattingof Caller ID information (i.e., two lines, each with approximatelyfifteen characters—Line 1: “CANCEL DINNER”, Line 2: “WORKING LATE”), theCaller ID Messaging Device 200 is enabled to display a Caller ID Messagehaving the size of less than or equal to 255 bytes, or alternatively, aCaller ID Message that is transmitted in less than or equal to four (4)seconds. Thus, the display screen 300 is configured to have a display ofat least three (3) lines by thirty (30) characters and/or to have adisplay capable of presenting other visual data (e.g., a picture, a map,etc.).

As shown in FIG. 12, the receiving party uses Caller ID Messaging Device200 to respond to Caller ID Message 1110. To initiate the response, thereceiving party punches or presses the “Compose/Respond” button 340 thatbrings up a response GUI 1210 for the receiving party to select and/orinput a response Caller ID Message. The user may select to (1) input anew response or (2) to select a response from memory. For example, ifthe user uses the right arrow 335 (or left arrow 330) to move pointer440 on “Input A New Response” and then presses the “Enter” button 349,an Input Response GUI 1310 of FIG. 13 is displayed and the receivingparty can use the stylus 355 and/or keyboard 350 to compose the responseCaller ID Message. When the receiving party has finished inputting theresponse Caller ID Message, the receiving party presses the “Send”button 342 and the Caller ID Messaging Device 200 automaticallytransmits the response Caller ID Messaging Signal with the responseCaller ID Message through telecommunications network 710 and/or datanetwork 760 to the calling party communications device 110 forinteractive Caller ID Messaging. If, however, the receiving party usesthe right arrow 335 to move the pointer 440 on “Select A Response FromMemory” and then presses “Enter” button 349, a Select Response GUI (notshown) is displayed with a menu for navigating stored Caller ID Messages(such as, for example, doodles drawn by a user, Caller ID Messagesassociated with the calling party or receiving party, an alphabetical ornumeric listing of Caller ID Messages, search options for finding astored Caller ID Message, frequently sent Caller ID Messages, and so on)and the receiving party selects the Caller ID Message and presses the“Send” button 342 to transmit the response Caller ID Message. The storedCaller ID Messages may be stored by local memory device 216, by CallerID Messaging DataServer 718 (via a Caller ID Messaging Profileassociated with the receiving party and/or the calling party), or byanother peripheral storage device (not shown).

Typically, the original Caller ID Messaging Signal is transmittedsimilar to Caller ID (e.g., ICLID signals for Caller ID and Caller IDCall Waiting are transmitted with an incoming call). Similarly, responseand/or interactive Caller ID messaging (e.g., the calling party respondsto the response Caller ID Message) may be communicated with an incomingcommunications signal. However, alternate embodiments of this inventionprovide that the response and/or interactive Caller ID messaging istransmitted via an established connection between the calling partycommunications device 110 (and/or caller id messaging device 200) andthe receiving party communications device 130 (and/or caller idmessaging device 200 such that a data burst is transmitted and/orreceived during an active connection (e.g., during a conversationbetween the calling party and the receiving party).

As shown in FIG. 14, the receiving party (and/or a calling party) uses a“Forward” button 1410 to forward the Caller ID Message (original CallerID Message sent from calling party, response Caller ID Message,interactive Caller ID Messages, and/or a stored Caller ID Message). Forexample, if the receiving party receives the incoming Caller ID Message1110 and wants to forward the Caller ID Message 1110, the receivingparty presses the “Forward” button 1410 that brings up a ForwardingCaller ID Messaging GUI 1420 with an identifier of the Caller ID Messageto forward (shown as “Forwarding Caller ID Messaging #10 from Rob inFIG. 14”). Thereafter, the receiving party selects a communicationsaddress similar to the methods and systems described in FIG. 4.

FIG. 15 illustrates the Caller ID Messaging communications system 1500similar to the Caller ID Messaging communications system 700 of FIG. 7;however, FIG. 15 further includes one or more third party'scommunications devices 1530 including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)1531, an IP phone 1532, a modem 1533, an interactive pager 1534, aglobal positioning system (GPS) 1535, an MP3 player 1536, a digitalsignal processor (DSP) 1537, an interactive television 1538, a POTStelephone 1539, and a personal computer 1540. One or more of the thirdparty's communications devices 1530 receives the forwarded Caller IDMessage similar to the systems and methods described above. In alternateembodiments (not shown), one or more of the third party's communicationsdevice 1530 may include and/or be coupled with a Caller ID MessagingDevice 200 and use the Caller ID Messaging Device 200 to engage ininteractive Caller ID Messaging conferencing (e.g., more than twoparties engaged in Caller ID messaging). Still further, the callingparty, the receiving party, and the third party could communicate theCaller ID Messaging Signal, the response Caller ID Messaging Signal, anda third party initiated caller identification messaging signal duringthe voice connection of the calling party and the receiving party.

According to an embodiment, a third party sponsor (e.g., an advertiser,marketing company, family member) could provide a third party sponsoredaccess address (e.g., an 800 number, IP address, etc.) that allows thecalling party to establish the communications connection with thereceiving party when the calling party (and/or the receiving party)agrees to receive and/or respond to a third party caller identificationmessaging signal during the voice connection with the receiving partyand the third party is billed for the communications connection of thecalling party and the receiving party. Thus, the calling party is ableto engage in free or reduced rate communications with the receivingparty in exchange for viewing, listening, playing, and/or responding tothe third party caller identification message. Typically, the callingparty calls the third party sponsored access address, inputs thetelephone number and/or destination communications address of thereceiving party's communications device, inputs and/or confirms thecommunications address of the calling party's communications device forthe transmission of third party caller identification messaging andthereby agrees to receive and/or respond to the caller identificationmessages. Thereafter, the third party communications sponsor establishedthe communications connection via the communications network between thecalling party's communications device and the receiving party'scommunications device (similar to the connection established when thecalling party uses a calling card access number to place a long distancecall to the receiving party). The third party sponsor then initiatestransmission of the third party sponsored caller identificationmessaging signals to the calling party's communications device (and/orreceiving party's communications device), and thus, the third partysponsor does not need to maintain a voice connection with either thecalling party's communications device nor the receiving party'scommunications device. Rather, the third party sponsor may elect tomaintain an alternate communications connection such that the thirdparty maintains a dynamic caller identification messaging communicationsconnection such that only the third party caller identificationmessaging signals are transmitted to the calling party's communicationsdevice and/or the receiving party's communications device.Alternatively, after the communications connection between the callingparty and the receiving party, the third party is released from thecommunications connections, and, thereafter establishes a newcommunications connection each time the third party calleridentification messaging signal is transmitted to the calling partyand/or the receiving party (similar to communications of Caller ID CallWaiting signals that are sent when the calling party and the receivingparty are engaged in a voice connection). Finally, the third partysponsor may limit the duration of the phone conversation, such as, onlyagreeing to pay for a set period of time (e.g., 10 minutes), to pay forthe communications connection so long as the calling party continues torespond to third party caller identification messages, to pay for thecommunications connection if the receiving party also agrees to receiveand respond to the third party caller identification messages, and otherbilling arrangements.

In an alternate embodiment, this invention includes methods and systemsfor Caller ID Messaging according to the systems disclosed in FIGS.16-17. FIG. 16 illustrates a Caller ID Messaging Communications system1600 that includes the calling party communications device 110 and thereceiving party device 130 communicating with the communications network120. Neither the calling party communications device 110 nor thereceiving party communications device 130 integrate and/or are coupledwith the Caller ID Messaging Device. Rather, the calling party makes useof an access number of the telecommunications network (shown asreference numeral 710 in FIG. 17) to compose, generate, transmit, and/orotherwise manage Caller ID Messaging Signals and Caller ID messagingservices. According to FIG. 17, the calling party uses calling partycommunications device 110 to dial an access number of thetelecommunications network 710 for Caller ID messaging (similar todialing an 800 calling card number). Once the incoming communicationfrom the calling party communications device 110 is connected with theaccess number, the telecommunications network 710 decodes the incomingcommunications signal, prompts the calling party for authorizationand/or identification (e.g., a pin number associated with a billingnumber, password, and/or other verification information), associates oneor more Caller ID Messaging profiles with the decoded incomingcommunications signal and/or inputted calling party identification, andpresents a menu of options for the calling party to select in order toaccess stored Caller ID Messaging Signals, compose and/or generate a newCaller ID Messaging Signals including inputting one or more destinationcommunications addresses, and/or manage Caller ID Service. Thereafter,the telecommunications network 710 routes the Caller ID Messaging Signalto one or more receiving party communications devices 1710 similar tothe systems and methods described above.

Moreover, the Caller ID Messaging menu presented by telecommunicationsnetwork 710 may be programmed over a variety of mediums, such as, forexample, a voice-activated and/or Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) menuprompt. The calling party, for example, might select to access storedCaller ID Messaging Signals by entering a “1” on a touch-tone keypad orby speaking into a receiving audio subsystem and stating the word “one.”This entry would then prompt the calling party through choices such asaccessing recently sent Caller ID Messaging Signals, alphanumericlistings of each receiving party, and so on. After making a selection,the telecommunications network 710 retrieves the stored Caller IDMessaging Signal from the database 719. In addition, the calling partymight enter a code (e.g., “*99”) in order to automatically block anyexchange of Caller ID Messaging Signals. Similarly the calling partycould unblock and allow the exchange of Caller ID messaging by enteringanother code.

FIGS. 18-20 are flowcharts showing processes of providing the Caller IDMessaging Services according to embodiments of this invention. While theprocesses in FIGS. 18-20 are shown in series, these processes may occurin different orders and/or at simultaneous times as one of ordinaryskill in the art will understand.

A calling party uses a Caller ID Messaging Program (such as referencenumeral 214 of FIG. 2) associated with the calling party and/or callingparty's communications device to compose and/or to select a Caller IDMessage [block 1800] and to input and/or select a destinationscommunications address (and/or a receiving party that has an associateddestinations communications address of the receiving partycommunications device) [block 1810] for a Caller ID Messaging Signal.Thereafter, the calling party initiates routing of the Caller IDMessaging Signal (such as by pressing the “Send” button 342 of Caller IDMessaging Device 200 disclosed above) and the signal is transmitted to atelecommunications network [block 1820]. The telecommunications networkdetects and decodes the incoming communications signal (e.g., ICLID)and/or Caller ID Messaging Signal [block 1830] and determines if thereceiving party's communications device supports enhanced Caller IDMessaging (e.g., presentation capabilities of the receiving party'scommunications device, such as whether the receiving party'scommunications device includes componentry to present more than twolines of text, each line with fifteen characters) [block 1840]. If yes,then the telecommunications network establishes a connection (oralternatively sends a data burst of the Caller ID Messaging Signal)[block 1850] and communicates the Caller ID Messaging Signal to thereceiving party communications device [block 1900]. After the Caller IDMessage is presented by the receiving party communication device and/orCaller ID Messaging Device, the receiving party decides whether to senda response Caller ID Message [block 1910]. If yes, then the receivingparty uses a Caller ID Messaging profile stored by thetelecommunications network, the incoming Caller ID Messaging Signal,and/or a Caller ID Messaging Program of the receiving partycommunications device and/or the receiving party's Caller ID MessagingDevice to prepare the response Caller ID Message [block 1920]. Theresponse Caller ID Message is transmitted with a response Caller IDMessaging Signal to the telecommunications network, and thetelecommunications network establishes a connection to the address ofthe calling party communications device [block 1940] and communicatesthe response Caller ID Messaging Signal [block 1950]. Alternatively, thetelecommunications network may use an established connection (such aswhen the receiving party and calling party are also engaged in a voiceconnection when the response Caller ID Messaging Signal is sent) totransmit the response Caller ID Messaging Signal. If the receiving partydoes not want to transmit a response Caller ID Message, then the CallerID Messaging ends. Although not shown, the receiving party could alsoelect to forward the incoming or a stored Caller ID Messaging Signal toa third party.

Referring back to “Block 1840,” if the receiving party communicationsdevice does not support enhanced Caller ID Messaging, then thetelecommunications network determines whether the receiving party(and/or receiving party's communications device) blocks or preventsincoming Caller ID messaging [block 2000]. If yes, then thetelecommunications network advises the calling party that the receivingparty does not accept Caller ID messaging [block 2010] and determineswhether the calling party wants to establish an alternate communicationconnection such as a voice connection (if the Caller ID Messaging Signalis just transmitted as a data transmission to the Caller ID MessagingDevice) [block 2020]. If yes, then the telecommunications networkestablishes the alternate communications connection [block 2030].However, if the calling party does not want to establish alternatecommunications, then the communication is terminated [block 2040].Referring back to “Block 2000,” if the receiving party and/or thereceiving party's communications device does not block Caller IDmessaging, then the telecommunications network supplants the ICLIDsignal with the Caller ID message of the Caller ID messaging signal[block 2050], establishes a connection to the address of the receivingparty's communications device [block 2060], and communicates the CallerID message to the receiving party's communications device [block 2070].

While several exemplary implementations of embodiments of this inventionare described herein, various modifications and alternate embodimentswill occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the nextgeneration “softswitch” simply replaces the SCP with an “applicationserver.” This application server is a conventional computer server thatalso includes triggers for telecommunications services so that “newentrants” into telecommunications services (e.g., new telecommunicationsservice providers) don't have to purchase an expensive SSP and/or SCP toprocess telephone calls. This next-generation packet network representsan alternative operating environment for the Caller ID Messagingsystems, methods, programs, and apparatuses. Here the telecommunicationsswitch includes a packet-based “softswitch.” This “softswitch” usessoftware control to provide voice, data, and video services bydynamically changing its connection data rates and protocols types. Anapplication server interfaces with the “softswitch” via a packetprotocol, such as Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). This applicationserver includes voice service protocols, triggers, and operations thatallow the PSTN and the data network (e.g., the world wide electronicdata communications network) to interoperate. Accordingly, thisinvention is intended to include those other variations, modifications,and alternate embodiments that adhere to the spirit and scope of thisinvention.

1. A communications system, comprising: a first switch connected to acalling party communications device, the calling party communicationsdevice communicating with a caller identification messaging device, thecaller identification messaging device transmitting a calleridentification messaging signal comprising a caller identificationmessage and at least one of (i) an identifier of a calling party, (ii)an identifier of a destination communications address, and (iii) anidentifier of the calling party communications device; a second switchconnected to a receiving party communications device; and acommunications network connecting the first switch to the second switch,the communications network operable to determine if the receiving partycommunications device blocks incoming caller identification messaging;if the receiving party communications device blocks incoming calleridentification messaging then the communications network advises thecalling party communications device that the receiving partycommunications device does not accept caller identification messagingand determines whether the calling party communications device requestsan alternate communication connection and establishes the alternatecommunications connection; if the receiving party communications deviceaccepts incoming caller identification messaging, the communicationsnetwork operable to process an incoming line identification (ICLID)signal and the caller identification messaging signal and operable totransmit the caller identification message to the destinationcommunications address, the communications network further operable toestablish a voice connection to the destination communications addressand to transmit at least one of the caller identification messagingsignal and caller identification message, the communications networkquerying a database for presentation capabilities associated with thedestination communications address and formatting at least one of thecaller identification messaging signal and caller identification messagein response to the presentation capabilities; wherein the calleridentification messaging device transmits a subsequent callingidentification messaging signal after the voice connection isestablished between the calling party communications device and thereceiving party communications device, and wherein the communicationsnetwork is operable to transmit the subsequent calling identificationmessaging signal during the voice connection while the calling partycommunications device and the receiving party communications deviceexchange voice signals.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein thecommunications network is operable to simultaneously transmit acommunications signal to establish the voice connection and to transmitat least one of the caller identification messaging signal and calleridentification message.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the callingparty communications device comprises at least one of the following: thecaller identification messaging device, a wireless communicationsdevice, a mobile phone, a wireless phone, a WAP phone, a satellite phonea computer, a modem, a pager, a digital music device, a digitalrecording device, a personal digital assistant, an interactivetelevision, a digital signal processor, and a Global Positioning Systemdevice.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications networkfurther comprises a world wide electronic data communications networkhaving a caller identification messaging interface via at least one ofan internet, an intranet, or an extranet.
 5. The system of claim 1, thedestinations communications address comprising an address of thereceiving party communications device, wherein the receiving partycommunications device comprises at least one of the following: a calleridentification device, a caller identification messaging device, awireless communications device, a mobile phone, a wireless phone, a WAPphone, a satellite phone a computer, a modem, a pager, a digital musicdevice, a digital recording device, a personal digital assistant, aninteractive television, a digital signal processor, and a GlobalPositioning System device.
 6. The system of claim 1, the destinationcommunications address comprising at least one of: a receiving partyidentification telephone number; and a billing telephone number.
 7. Thesystem of claim 1, the communications network further including an audiocaller identification messaging application, the audio calleridentification messaging application operable to present the calleridentification message as an audio communication.
 8. The system of claim7, wherein the audio presentation application includes a text-to-speechapplication.
 9. The system of claim 1, the receiving partycommunications device having a response caller identification messagingdevice, the response caller identification messaging device transmittinga response caller identification messaging signal comprising at leastone of (i) a response caller identification message, (ii) an identifierof a responding party, (iii) an identifier of a response communicationsaddress, and (iv) an identifier of the receiving party communicationsdevice, wherein the response caller identification messaging devicetransmits the response calling identification messaging signal after thevoice connection is established between the calling party communicationsdevice and the receiving party communications device and wherein thecommunications network is operable to transmit the response callingidentification messaging signal during the voice connection.
 10. Amethod for caller identification messaging, comprising: processing acaller identification messaging signal in a communications network, thecaller identification messaging signal comprising a calleridentification message and further comprising (i) an identifier of acalling party, (ii) an identifier of a destination communicationsaddress, and (iii) an identifier of an originating communicationsaddress; associating an incoming line identification (ICLID) signal withthe caller identification messaging signal; querying a database for (i)acceptance of the caller identification message associated with thedestinations communications address and (ii) presentation capabilitiesassociated with the destination communications address; determining if areceiving party communications device blocks incoming calleridentification messaging; if the receiving party communications deviceblocks incoming caller identification messaging then advising a callingparty communications device that the receiving party communicationsdevice does not accept caller identification messaging and determiningwhether the calling party communications device requests an alternatecommunication connection and establishing the alternate communicationsconnection; if the receiving party communications device acceptsincoming caller identification messaging, formatting the calleridentification messaging signal in response to the presentationcapabilities; transmitting a subsequent calling identification messagingsignal after a voice connection is established between the calling partycommunications device and the receiving party communications device, andwherein the communications network is operable to transmit thesubsequent calling identification messaging signal during the voiceconnection while the calling party communications device and thereceiving party communications device exchange voice signals.
 11. Themethod of claim 10, further comprising: if transmission of the calleridentification message is initiated, then formatting the calleridentification message for presentation to the destinationcommunications address, and transmitting the caller identificationmessage to the destination communications address; and if transmissionof the caller identification message is not initiated, then retrieving acaller identification messaging delivery failure notification andtransmitting the message delivery failure notification to acommunications address of the calling party communications device. 12.The method of claim 11, further comprising: establishing the voiceconnection with the calling party communications device and thereceiving party communications device.
 13. The method of claim 11,wherein formatting the caller identification message for presentationcomprises substituting the caller identification message for theincoming line identification signal such that the caller identificationmessage is transmitted to the destinations communications addressinstead of the incoming line identification signal.
 14. The method ofclaim 10, wherein the communications network further comprises a worldwide electronic data communications network having a calleridentification messaging interface via at least one of an internet, anintranet, or an extranet.
 15. The method of claim 10, furthercomprising: processing a response caller identification messagingsignal, the response caller identification messaging signal comprising aresponse caller identification message, wherein the response calleridentification message comprises at least one of text, voice, video, andelectronic data; and querying a database for at least one of (i) theidentifier of the calling party and (ii) the identifier of theoriginating communications address, to determine presentationcapabilities associated with the response communications device, ifformatting of the response caller identification message is required,then formatting the response caller identification message forpresentation to the response communications address, and transmittingthe response caller identification message to the responsecommunications address during the voice connection, if formatting of theresponse caller identification message is not required, thentransmitting the response caller identification message to the responsecommunications address during the voice connection.
 16. A method forcaller identification messaging, comprising: processing a communicationssignal from a calling party communications device to a calleridentification messaging access address; associating an incoming lineidentification (ICLID) signal with the incoming communications signal;associating a caller identification messaging profile with the ICLIDsignal, the caller identification messaging profile comprising at leastone of (i) a caller identification message, (ii) an identifier of thecalling party, (iii) an identifier of the originating communicationsaddress, (iv) caller identification messaging services associated withat least one of the calling party and the originating address, (v) anidentifier of the destinations communications address, (vi) anidentifier of a receiving party communications device, (vii) calleridentification messaging services associated with at least one of thereceiving party and the destinations communications address, and (viii)caller identification messaging default service parameters; determiningif the receiving party communications device blocks incoming calleridentification messaging; if the receiving party communications deviceblocks incoming caller identification messaging then advising thecalling party communications device that the receiving partycommunications device does not accept caller identification messagingand determining whether the calling party communications device requestsan alternate communication connection and establishing the alternatecommunications connection; if the receiving party communications deviceaccepts incoming caller identification messaging, generating a calleridentification messaging signal using at least one of the calleridentification messaging profile and a caller identification messaginginstruction supplied by the calling party, the generating includingquerying a database for presentation capabilities associated with thedestination communications address and formatting the calleridentification messaging signal in response to the presentationcapabilities; and transmitting a subsequent calling identificationmessaging signal after a voice connection is established between thecalling party communications device and the receiving partycommunications device, and wherein the communications network isoperable to transmit the subsequent calling identification messagingsignal during the voice connection while the calling partycommunications device and the receiving party communications deviceexchange voice signals.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:transmitting at least one of the caller identification message and thecaller identification messaging signal to the destinationscommunications address of the receiving party communications device; andestablishing a voice connection with the calling party communicationsdevice and the receiving party communications device.
 18. The method ofclaim 16 further comprising: presenting the caller identificationmessage via the receiving party communications device.